vbs 2015 ... #1

I’ve been scrolling through old blog posts tonight and oh, what fun it is to see what we were up to back in the good old days!  Among those old memories, I found this post about what may have been the first year my kids went to VBS with their homeschool friends.  I had completely forgotten about this post until tonight…

June 14, 2010 (full post here)

I have spent the last hour sitting at our church browsing the internet in peaceful quiet except for the music from my blog that I am enjoying.…..

Where are my little noisemakers kids, you may ask?  The answer to that question is why I am feeling a little guilty.

This morning, I dropped all three kids off at another local church for Vacation Bible School.  The older kids were invited by some of our homeschool friends who attend the church, so I don't feel too bad about them.  D, on the other hand, is just going because the older kids went and because I thought a week of mornings to myself might be nice.

Okay, that is a giant understatement!  As a matter of fact, when I told my Mama that D could go to VBS at a church where I am not teaching this year, I told her that I didn't know what I would do with myself, but it would probably include a few minutes of sitting somewhere just drinking in the silence!

I guess I feel guilty because I have never thought of using church as a babysitter before.  My children have been in VBS all their lives and they have even gone to VBS at a church where I wasn't teaching, but always because they have friends there.  Maybe I am just splitting hairs, I don't know.  I am just going to take consolation in the fact that my friends who are members there don't seem to be bothered.

Honestly, I find this post really funny now. 

We are again in the middle of VBS week at that same church and those kids who invited my older kids are all now in the youth group and they are still inviting my kids … only now Lora and James aren’t just going to VBS, they are helping.  This has become one of my kids’ favorite weeks each summer.  This is James’ first year to help, and I have to say that he has been looking forward to it since the end of last year.  Lora is spending this week helping in the same class that she will be teaching in our church’s VBS next month.  Thanks, Marie! 

I would be remiss in posting about this particular VBS without mentioning that Marie is an amazing VBS director … I won’t say that she makes it look easy, since I know how much time and passion she puts in to making this week a success, but she does make me want to be a better VBS director!

It is only Tuesday, but James has already learned a lesson that makes the entire week worthwhile … he told me on the way home that he now knows why we sometimes yell raise our voices when we say we aren’t mad … sometimes you have to raise your voice to get the attention of a child who is intent on NOT paying attention.  Nothing like a little bit of frustration to make an excellent teacher for my young man.

And yes, I am secretly gloating, but only a little!

I do have one confession, though.  I worried all those years ago about using another church’s VBS as a babysitter so that I could enjoy some peace and quiet.  I am over that.  But I did feel a twinge of guilt when I walked Daniel in on Monday morning and I saw the frazzled look on Marie’s face just moments before I walked out to enjoy my morning alone. 

Just a twinge … but, I got over it about the time I settled on the couch with a cup of coffee, my Bible, and complete silence ... ahhh!

busy, busy, busy

This summer has been crazy busy for us but it has been a good kind of busy.  I doubt that any of you really want a play-by-play of our summer, but this is also my journal (of sorts) so please indulge me a little.

To get the summer started, Ronnie and I took a trip (sans kids!) for our 15th wedding anniversary.  One of these days I really should post about that, but today is not that day.

Last week, our church was in Vacation Bible School and it was a great week.  I don't think I will voluntarily repeat teaching preschool, but it was a good experience and I think I can now say that I have taught every age group in the church (not all in VBS, but including Sunday School as well) except Senior Adults.  According to my kids, the only problem with VBS was that it isn't long enough. I did enjoy the week, but I must say that I am truly glad that it is only one week!

Ronnie and I have also undertaken a major overhaul of our bedroom this summer.  Our room is the "junk/storage room" of the house and quite frankly, I am tired of it!  So, Ronnie took off Thursday and Friday after July 4th and we went to work.  We haven't finished all that we want to do, but we did get rid of more junk than I care to admit, not to mention several bags of kids' clothes and even a bag of my own clothes that are (thankfully) too big for me now!  We still need to rearrange the room, but  I am loving all the space we have since we got rid of the piles of junk!

The thing that has kept me the busiest this summer is the garden.  My Daddy planted more than 100 tomato plants and somewhere around 30 squash plants.  So far, we have put up more than 60 quarts of squash - most of it canned - and I have two drawers full waiting for me to can tomorrow.  The tomatoes have been a bit scraggly ... it was hot early, with no rain, but we'll take what we can get.  Normally we would can the tomatoes in a concoction that we lovingly call tomato relish, though, in reality it is what most people would call soup stock.  The tomatoes are peeled and diced and then we add bell pepper, celery, and onion and simmer the mixture before packing it in jars and then pressure canning the final product.  This stuff is wonderful ... I use it for spaghetti, chili, soups, and in most any other recipe where I would use canned tomatoes.  I absolutely love not having to buy store bought tomatoes with all of their questionable ingredients.  Our unusually busy summer has kept us from being able to actually can any tomatoes yet.  So far, we have just been peeling and cutting up the tomatoes and then freezing them in gallon bags until we have time to do the whole process of canning our relish.  At last count, we had somewhere around 30 gallon bags waiting for us to get our act together ... hopefully sometime in the next couple of weeks.  Oh, and I also have three cucumber plants that are late getting going (the first ones died and we had to re-plant) so hopefully I will be putting up pickles very, very soon!

Our busy summer has kept us from getting as much school work done as I would have liked, but I am just going to call it home-ec and let it go.  LB has learned the process for canning both squash and tomatoes and the boys have both spent a fair amount of time in the garden with my Daddy.  We have done a little math along with the older kids and I've worked with D on his reading, but we haven't had much organized book-work.  I am enjoying the break though, and soon, I'll begin working on our schedule for the new year ... it will be here before we know it!

a new appreciation

It is VBS week ... and, through no fault of my own, I am teaching preschool this year.


I tried to get out of teaching all together ... I signed up to help with the food - which, at our church, is a full meal each night.  (Tonight is spaghetti night ... yummy!)  I was thrilled...I'd get to do something totally different and then, once the work in the kitchen was finished, I could float around and help in other classes or take pictures, or maybe even go to the adult class.


But, God had other plans.


One of the first teachers to sign up this year was a lady to work with the preschool class, but a few weeks ago she called Ronnie to tell him that she was going to have to be out of town this week for work and wouldn't be able to teach.  So we began to look for another teacher, to no avail.  One of the perils of being married to the VBS director is that sometimes you get appointed to do something whether you want to or not.


Please don't get me wrong, I love preschoolers!  But the last time I taught a preschool class younger than kindergarten, I didn't have any children!  I have a hard time figuring out how to relate to small children and this week has been especially challenging because the kids in my class range from one who just turned three to one who is almost six.


Now, lest you think I am just posting this as a reason to complain, let me get to the real point of this post.


I am often guilty of lamenting how fast my children have grown and how much I miss all those stages that we have flown through over the last 12 years.  Now it is confession time.


After three nights ...
of taking kids to the bathroom ...
and trying to understand what they are saying ...
and trying to show them how to use a glue stick ...
and trying to get them to listen for more than 30 seconds at a time ...
and trying to remember to only give one instruction at a time ...
and the list could go on and on ... 
my eyes have been opened.


I have a whole new appreciation for the ages and stages we have reached with the kids.  

saying goodbye to another year of vbs

It is late and I am tired.  Ronnie and the kids are asleep, but I am not quite ready to end the day (even though the clock ended it an hour ago).

VBS week is always unique.   Themes change, the music changes, the kids change and grow, but the week somehow stays the same.  It may only come once a year, but in some strange way, that I don't quite know how to put into words, VBS is always the same.

Whether we do it for four days (like this year) or five (like every other year), I am always tired at the end, but never quite ready to say goodbye.  Even this year, when I have already admitted what a struggle this week has been, I am still sad to see it go.

I have always thought that with the amount of work that goes into the preparation for VBS, it is a shame that it doesn't last longer.  Many people work long hours to create the illusion of travelling to some far off place, only to stuff their hard work into a garbage can at the end of the week.  ~sigh~  Alas, this just the way it is.  Fortunately, especially for our small church, some people save that hard work and pass it on to other churches.  But the decorations that have made their way to our little VBS are on the last leg of their journey.

I know, this part is a little silly, but it also isn't the real reason I am sad to see VBS come to an end.

It is the kids.

Not my kids.  They love VBS as much as anybody, but I am not sad for them.

You see, my kids will be back in church on Sunday and next Wednesday, with teachers who love them and want nothing more than to share God's truths with them every chance they get.  Many of the children who come to our little VBS each year are just like my kids.  They come and they have fun, but for them, Bible School is simply an extension of church life.

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not negating the importance of VBS for all the kids, but when it is all said and done, the faces I see are the ones that I know probably won't set foot in a church again until VBS rolls around next year.

For those kids, and we had a few, even in our group of less than 25 kids, I want just one more day, one more week even, if it would mean one more opportunity to share God's love with them.  I am not so naive as to think that one week of VBS can undo all the weeks of not being fed the word of God on a regular basis, but I do know that every time a seed is planted is one more opportunity for fruit to grow in the lives of these children.  I just don't want to waste any opportunity to plant one of those seeds.

I am so thankful that God allowed me an opportunity to be involved in one more VBS.  I am also thankful that He has once again proved faithful, even in the spiritual funk I have been in this week, and blessed me through this experience.  Most of all, I am thankful for the promises of God's Word concerning the sharing of the gospel, so I will leave you with a couple of them.

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:6

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

It is comforting to know that, while God expects us to be faithful in what He asks us to do, He is still in control and He works best through our weaknesses.

So, as we say goodbye to another year of VBS, I can rest in the knowledge that the Word of God has been shared this week.  Seeds have been planted or watered and in His power and His timing, He will give the increase.

feeling a little guilty

I have spent the last hour sitting at our church browsing the internet in peaceful quiet except for the music from my blog that I am enjoying.  I would prefer to be at home doing this, but since my computer is still being de-bugged, I can't be at home.  Hopefully, our computer will be fixed soon and I will be able to return to the things I enjoy, like blogging regularly and even more importantly, reading your blogs regularly!

Where are my little noisemakers kids, you may ask?  The answer to that question is why I am feeling a little guilty.

This morning, I dropped all three kids off at another local church for Vacation Bible School.  The older kids were invited by some of our homeschool friends who attend the church, so I don't feel too bad about them.  D, on the other hand, is just going because the older kids went and because I thought a week of mornings to myself might be nice.

Okay, that is a giant understatement!  As a matter of fact, when I told my Mama that D could go to VBS at a church where I am not teaching this year, I told her that I didn't know what I would do with myself, but it would probably include a few minutes of sitting somewhere just drinking in the silence!

I guess I feel guilty because I have never thought of using church as a babysitter before.  My children have been in VBS all their lives and they have even gone to VBS at a church where I wasn't teaching, but always because they have friends there.  Maybe I am just splitting hairs, I don't know.  I am just going to take consolation in the fact that my friends who are members there don't seem to be bothered.

Okay, I am over feeling guilty now, so don't tell me if you think I should feel that way, 'cause for now I am just going to enjoy the silence!  And go to Wal-mart with no one begging for anything! 

a mixed bag

I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd take a few minutes to catch up a little of what has been going on around here.

We are down to our last week of summer baseball. I suppose I should be sad, but I'm not. Baseball three nights a week has really thrown a kink into our "normal" routine. Now, I am not what you would call a "scheduled" person, but I do like to be at home some and for the last couple of months we have been going at least 4 out of every 5 weeknights. Ugh! On the bright side though, JW's team is still undefeated. Of course, the best part is that he has had fun and I think has made good progress this year. I will definitely give credit to his coaches for the progress. They have been wonderful ... not once all year have I heard them raise their voices to the boys on the team, except to cheer them on. When correction has been needed, they have done it quietly and with lots of positive encouragement. They have done a great job boosting my very timid child's confidence and have helped him to have a desire to get better and play harder next year. I'd call that a successful year of ball.

We have also ended another great year of dance for LB. She has now completed 5 years of dance and loves it as much today as she did when she started. As a matter of fact, I think she loves it even more now than she did at the beginning. Last year, she did her first solo in the dance recital. She did great and we were extremely proud of her. This year, she and a friend decided that they wanted to do a duet. Their teacher approved and after some discussion, she chose for them to do a tap number to Sea Cruise. They did a great job on their duet, though they did forget a few steps in their 2nd recital, and I think they learned a great life lesson ... when you make a mistake, just keep going. They also learned that sometimes it is easier to dance solo!

On a less positive note, our van is dead. Well, not the whole van, just the transmission. Which, in a van older than my marriage, (it's a 1996) with 175,000 miles, it might as well be the whole van. While we take our time and try NOT to make any mistakes in buying a new(er) vehicle we are driving the car that my mom bought the year I graduated from high school. Early on, my mom was very protective of that car, but gradually, as it began developing symptoms of old age, it became my dad's junker ... the one he uses for trips to the hardware store and such. It has no air conditioning (have I mentioned that I live in the deep south? and it is June!) and we have been admonished to drive it like Daddy ... which means that we can't drive over 40 miles an hour. Let's just say that it has been really, um, interesting for the last few weeks. Oh, and I guess I should also mention that this is a REALLY small car and I have 3 children who can't ride in this car without touching each other ... really interesting.

I shouldn't complain, though and, I am extremely thankful that my parents have allowed us to use the car so that we can take our time in finding a new van. Well, actually, we are looking for the used van that we want to buy. We have already spent more time praying about this decision than we did about the other two vehicles we have bought combined. I guess the up side is that I am looking forward to having something reliable to drive (and it won't hurt that it will probably look better!) and I can honestly say that we have matured enough to know that this is not a decision we want to make on our own ... again!

It is late and I have to get up early to have the older two kids at the 1st of 3 Vacation Bible Schools they are planning to attend this year. This one is at the church where some of our home schooled friends go and will be the kids' 1st experience with a daytime VBS. Later this month they will go to my parents' church and then next month will be our church's turn. Unfortunately, D can't go to any except ours since he is still only 3. It is okay though ... he will get to hang out with Mama most of the week and even has a play date with a friend one morning ... I think he'll survive.

With ALL that said, I hope everyone has a great week and now I am going to bed!